News

New Freshmen LBJ School Student Liam Demory First Day

From Madrid to the Forty Acres: Meet One of the LBJ School’s Newest Freshmen

Sept. 4, 2026
Classes are officially underway, which means the LBJ School of Public Affairs is welcoming a new group of students to campus, including its second-ever undergraduate class. One of those students is Liam Demory (BAPubAff '30).
Alumni Awards

The LBJ School Announces its 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipients

Sept. 4, 2026
The LBJ School of Public Affairs is proud to announce the winners of its 2026 Outstanding Alumni Awards: R. Paul Kinscherff (MPAff/MBA '85) and Katie Fine (MPAff ’15).
Interim Dean James "Paul" Pope

Get to Know LBJ School Interim Dean Paul Pope, by the Numbers

Aug. 14, 2026
With the fall semester just around the corner and students returning to the Forty Acres soon, we wanted to give the LBJ community a chance to get to know our Interim Dean, James “Paul” Pope, a little better. Or, if you’ve been taught by him, you may know him as “Coach Pope.”
Incoming LBJ Master of National Security Student Leylah Attia

Incoming Master of National Security Student Looks Forward to Shaping LBJ's Newest Degree Program

Aug. 11, 2026
As one of the first students in the Master of National Security program, Leylah Attia (MNS '28) is helping shape the future of the program while preparing for a career focused on making an impact through public service.
Incoming LBJ Master of Global Policy Studies and DC student Eli Craddock

Incoming LBJ Washington Center Student Brings Global and State Policy Experience to the Forty Acres

July 31, 2026
This fall, Eli Craddock will begin the Master of Global Policy Studies (MGPS) program before moving to D.C. through the LBJ Washington Center's Accelerated D.C. Program, bringing him back to the East Coast to live, work and study in our nation's capital.
LBJ student Dylan Driscoll Ireland Internship Sustainable Food and Ag

LBJ School Student Gains Real-World Food and Agriculture Policy Experience Through Ireland Internship

July 20, 2026
Before beginning his second year in the Master of Public Affairs program at the LBJ School, Dylan Driscoll is spending his summer in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, Ireland, gaining hands-on experience in sustainable food and agriculture policy.
LBJ Incoming Bachelor of Public Affairs Freshmen Camila

UT Austin Incoming Freshman Joining LBJ School’s Second Cohort of Undergraduate Public Affairs Students

July 10, 2026
As the LBJ School of Public Affairs prepares to welcome its second undergraduate cohort, we are excited to introduce Camila Frith, an incoming freshman interested in sustainability policy and civic engagement.
Incoming LBJ Master of Public Affairs student Caleb Garcia

Incoming Master of Public Affairs Student Aims to Strengthen Communities Through Public Policy

June 29, 2026
When incoming Master of Public Affairs student Caleb Garcia (MPAff ’28) arrives at the LBJ School this fall, he will bring with him a passion for public service and a commitment to expanding opportunity for others.
LBJ student Maggie Honolulu summer intership

Global Policy Student Applies LBJ School Training Through Honolulu Summer Internship

June 25, 2026
Second-year Master of Global Policy Studies student Maggie Hewitt (MGPS ’27) is currently spending her summer in Honolulu interning at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS).
LBJ Alumni Daughter/Father Emma and Jim Niewald

Two Generations, One LBJ Legacy: A Father-Daughter Journey Through the LBJ School

June 19, 2026
When Emma Niewald (MGPS '26) graduated this spring, she followed in the footsteps of her father, Jim Niewald (MPAff '80), who earned his degree from the LBJ School 46 years earlier.
Chanel Williams Master of National Security

Inaugural Master of National Security Student Joins LBJ School This Fall to Bridge Law and National Security

June 15, 2026
Chanel Williams (MNS ‘28) will join the LBJ School of Public Affairs this August as part of the inaugural cohort of the Master of National Security program.

New Report Exposes the Impact of Chronic Sleep Disruption in U.S. Prisons and Jails

June 3, 2026
A new report from the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab (PJIL) at The University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs reveals that chronic sleep disruption is a widespread and overlooked feature of incarceration in U.S. prisons and jails, with serious consequences for the physical and mental health of incarcerated people, institutional safety, and public health.
Alex Mathew DC Maymester with The Patman Center

Behind the Scenes of Federal Policymaking in D.C. Through The Patman Center May-Term

May 26, 2026
Alex Mathew, a Master of Public Affairs student going into his second year at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, started off the summer with his first-ever trip to Washington, D.C. with the The Patman Center for Civic and Political Engagement.
James Paul Pope Interim Dean Announcement

J. Paul Pope Named Interim Dean of Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs

May 18, 2026
Professor J. Paul Pope is named Interim Dean of Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
LBJ Student Commencement Speaker Aria Stiefelmaier

Aria Stiefelmaier to Represent Class of 2026 at LBJ Commencement Ceremony

May 5, 2026
With commencement just days away, the LBJ School of Public Affairs is celebrating the Class of 2026 and all they have accomplished over the past two years. Aria Stiefelmaier (MGPS ‘26) has been selected by her classmates as this year’s student commencement speaker and will represent the class on May 9.
LBJ EMPL Graduate Danielle Thompson in front of Tower

Texas Trooper and LBJ Graduate Strengthens Leadership Through EMPL Program

April 29, 2026
As graduation approaches at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Danielle Thompson (EMPL ’26) looks back on a year that strengthened her leadership skills and deepened her commitment to public service.
LBJ PhD Candidate Yoojin Cha

Guided by Mentorship: A Ph.D. Graduate’s Experience at the LBJ School

April 23, 2026
The LBJ School of Public Affairs will honor Yoojin Cha (Ph.D. ’26) on May 9 as he is hooded during commencement, joining four other doctoral candidates in celebration of the completion of their Ph.D. degrees in Public Affairs.
A message from Dean DeShazo

A Message from Dean DeShazo on His LBJ School Tenure and Appointment to Duke University

April 20, 2026
Dean DeShazo reflects on his time leading the LBJ School of Public Affairs, highlighting key achievements in academic growth, fundraising, and national reputation, and shares his appointment as dean of Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy.
LBJ Graduate Sirin Mubarak

Full Circle Moment for a First-Generation LBJ Graduate

April 16, 2026
Next month, as the LBJ School’s Class of 2026 gathers for commencement, Serin Mubarak (MGPS-DC ‘25) will return to the Forty Acres to walk the stage with her classmates.
LBJ Graduate Adriel Bustillos

From Fourth Grade to Graduate School: An LBJ Graduate’s Public Service Journey

April 10, 2026
Adriel Bustillos (MPAff ’26) will graduate next month from the LBJ School of Public Affairs with a Master of Public Affairs, carrying forward a commitment to public service that first took shape in fourth grade.
LBJ Graduate Sofia Odom in DC outside of Washington Center

Shaped by the LBJ Community: A Graduate’s Path to Washington, D.C.

April 3, 2026
After completing the LBJ School of Public Affair’s accelerated D.C. program with the LBJ Washington Center, Sofia Odom (MPAff-DC ‘25) jumped straight into her current role as a staff assistant for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, where she had previously been a fellow. Still based in Washington, she’s working alongside a team she describes as incredibly smart and passionate, contributing to meaningful policy work.
LBJ DC Presentation with Professor David Eaton

LBJ School Policy Research Group Presents Rare Earth Research in Washington, D.C.

April 1, 2026
A team of students from the LBJ School of Public Affairs traveled to Washington, D.C., on February 23, 2026, to present their research on the global rare earth element industry to officials at the U.S. Department of State and other policy stakeholders.
Carlos Contreras 2026 Commencement Speaker, Goodwill San Antonio

Carlos Contreras, President & CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, to Deliver 2026 LBJ School Commencement Address

March 27, 2026
Carlos J. Contreras, an alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, will return to his alma mater on May 9 to deliver the LBJ School’s 2026 commencement address.

New Policy Brief Examines the Impact of School District Debt Relief in Texas

March 23, 2026
A new policy brief from the Center on Municipal Capital Markets (CMCM) at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin finds that state-level school district debt relief can lead to significant increases in school facility investment and long-term improvements in student outcomes.